Shared Histories - Mémoires Héritées - Histoire Partagée

Shared Histories offers a framework for schools in New Zealand, Australia and France, including New Caledonia, to form partnerships and work on collaborative projects on the theme of WW1.

The Shared Histories programme was initially created in October 2013 to raise awareness about the contribution of the New Zealand Division who fought on the western front during WW1 among young New Zealand and French people.

The success of its first phase has led to expanding this programme to include Australian schools, and thus reflect the wider historical context and the contribution of the ANZAC in the Great War. French territories of the Pacific – New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Wallis & Futuna – are also invited to participate.
The intention of the programme is to provide students with the opportunity to discover the profound significance and impact of the sacrifices made by participating countries and territories through interacting and exchanging in an authentic context. Read more

Shared Histories also helps you create a partnership with a French speaking school.

If you have an existing partnership with a French school, all you need to do is create your school profiles and partnership online to submit your common project.

Call for Projects 2014-2015

Join in with the 16 pairs of schools (read their blogs here) already working with the Shared Histories framework!

If you and your students want to
• Create lasting relationships between France and New Zealand
• Understand the significance of World War 1 for their country and their community
• Find a personal context or connection with World War 1
• Explore ways to be actively involved in the Duty of Remembrance
• Recognise, identify and appreciate values of people in different times and different circumstances.
• Connect language learning with other learning areas
• Develop deep and valuable inquiries
• Engage in genuine social interaction
• Use their language skills as a tool to carry out projects
• Develop personal ways of responding to linguistic and cultural differences
• Communicate about the project using a range of media
• Collaborate to build a digital time capsule which stores precious memories and experiences"
Then read on!

NZAFT Initiatives - 2013

1. The Mark Williams Awards

The NZAFT is proud to announce the continuation in 2013 of the Mark Williams Awards.
The Mark Williams Award is for a teacher led project which focus is on enhancing students' French learning experience.

"This award is given in honour of Mark Williams. Mark taught French for many years at Otumoetai College, Tauranga. He was a dedicated teacher and complete Francophile and he inspired both teachers and colleagues alike. His ability as a teacher, his willingness to share, and his total commitment to the profession and to his students made him a great teacher of French.
It is difficult to estimate how many lives he touched with his love of the French language and all things French. There is no doubt that there are many, many people out there today who have gone on to share this love thanks to his inspiration.This award recognizes Mark, his work and his great contribution to French teaching in New Zealand."Thank you to Shirley Bain (past NZAFT President) for providing these kind words in Mark's memory.

Rules and Criteria for the Mark Williams Award for 2013The Mark Williams Award is for a teacher led project which focus is on enhancing students' French learning experience.
1. Applicants for one of six Mark Williams Awards must be a paid member of the NZAFT
2. Application for an award must be made in writing to the President, Sue POMMAREDE. Application forms are available by downloading a copy from this page (see below).
3. Applications for an award must fulfill all the criteria stipulated on the form.
4. The selection will be made from applicants who meet all the requirements in their application. (see form for criteria)
5. Members receiving an award must supply NZAFT Executive with a short written report of the project, suitable for publishing in the NZAFT section of www.french.ac.nz.
6. Disbursement of the award will be made upon reception of the relevant receipts and of the short written report upon project completion.
7. The award may be granted for a project within or beyond New Zealand.
Applications must reach the NZAFT President by July 11th 2013 (end of term 2)
Send your application by email to: suepnzaft@gmail.com or by post to
Sue Pommarède HoF Languages Rosehill College
PO Box 72-546, Papakura 2113

NZAFT NZ/France South Island Reciprocal Exchange

Stephanie Barnett (Rangi Ruru College) has been overseeing the successful NZ-France South Island Exchange (known also as Bourges Exchange) on behalf of NZAFT for some years now. This exchange has been facilitated with the support of the NZ-France Friendship Fund. Stephanie has made available the report she has submitted to NZFFF which you can download below. Stephanie also stresses that she would be very happy to support the setting up of such an exchange in other parts of the country, as "the application process, protocols and Code of Practice are all in place and it is a MoE approved-exchange as long as the organisation of it has NZAFT approval".

She adds she is available to liaise with anyone interested and would encourage any colleague with strong links with a Lycee to pursue an exchange along the lines of the Bourges exchange. She stresses though that it would be almost impossible to find a French teacher/school willing to organise a student exchange from schools other than their own. Stephanie can be contacted at stefbarnett [at] hotmail.com(replace [at]by @)

Thank you Stephanie for sharing this information so extensively and long live this relationship!

Scholarship 2010: CAP-FIPF Conference in Sydney 3rd-5th December

The NZAFT is pleased to announce that the recipient of this Scholarship is Morgan PATTERSON, Central Southland College, Winton. Congratulations Morgan and thank you for your interest: we look forward to publishing your feedback!

2010 NZAFT Biennial General Meeting

Took place on July 5th 2010 Rydges Hotel, Queenstown, 4.50 pm, room Clancy's.

Hilary Marston, NZAFT Secretary conducted the NZAFT business meeting in the absence of Lesley Parris, NZAFT President who has family commitments in the UK and of Pascale Hyboud-Peron, NZAFT Treasurer whospends half a year in France.Ruth Bourchier, National Adviser, was present at the meeting.
33 NZAFT member attending the NZALT Conference came along to the Business Meeting where Regional Officers were announced and the following was voted on:

yearly subscription fees

Executive for 2010-2012

the updating of the NZAFT constitution was differed to a later stage

The documents below were made available to your scrutiny prior to the meeting.

NB: the Nomination Forms for both the Regional Officers and the Executive were returned to Lesley via email by June 30th 2010

2. NZAFT Scholarships for 2010

The NZAFT has offered scholarships to 10 of its members to attend the NZALT biennial conference "Scaling remarkable linguistic heights" CULTURE CURRICULUM CREATIVITY to be held in July 2010
in Queenstown. Each scholarship consisted of $500 towards attendance costs (conference registration- travel – accomodation)

The deadline for applications was extended from April 5th 2010 to May 10th 2010 and it is now closed.

NZAFT Initiatives - 2009

1- NZAFT- French Embassy Competition 2009: I love French!ran term 2 2009 and was very successful indeed!
Thank you for sending on so many great entries. Prizes included 3 Ipods Nano, donated by the NZAFT, and many DVDs, CDs and books donated by the French Embassy.
View all the entries that you could possibly use while promoting French in your school at About> Competition 2009

2- NZAFT SCHOLARSHIP 2009
The NZAFT offered a scholarship to a New Zealand teacher of French to attend the AFMLTA Biennial Conference in Sydney between July 9-12 2009. The AFMLTA (Australian Federation of Modern Languages Teachers Associations) is the equivalent to the NZALT in Australia. The theme of the 2009 Conference was" Dialogue, discourse, diversity!". The NZAFT covered the cost of flights, accommodation and conference registration for one French teacher in New Zealand.
The NZAFT is proud to announce the awardee for the 2009 Scholarship is Jo RITTEY (Rangiruru College).

CSD: New Curriculum Implementation

Terms 2 and 3 2009

The Curriculum Support Days, organised by the PPTA, aim to provide samples and examples to show teachers how to bring together the Achievement Objectives and Key Competencies, while taking into account other aspects of the NZC (eg vision, principles etc.), in the planning of their Units of Work. Read below the Newsletters published by the PPTA on Curriculum Support days, and find the suggested timetable for your local Support Day. For sample materials and teaching resources, as well as a range of relevant support documents, go to the Curriculum section of this site.

Subject Associations Forum 16-17 April 2009 Wellington.

Lesley, Philippa and Pascale attended the Subject Associations Forum. This Forum, organised by the PPTA, gathered together over 50 teachers representing a large range of Subject Associations. It provided a range of very good opportunities: to hear how the Ministry sees a building of professional partnership with teachers via the Subject Associations, to understand how other SA are organised and what their strengths and limitations are and to network for the benefits of our members.

If you are interested in finding out what the 2 days involved, and in reading the introductions to both Lesley's and Pascale's presentations, have a look at the Programme below!

SCALEs Project (Standards Review for Learning Languages)

Go to the NZALT website to read the background to the project, discover the Draft Matrix for Learning Languages and access the Feedback Questionnaire. Deadline for completion of the Questionnaire is January 20, 2009.

The NZALT, under the leadership of Adèle Scott and Gunhild Litwin, negotiated a contract which allowed for one member of each language association to form part of the advisory group to look at second language standards. Sue Pommarède represented the NZAFT as she worked on the SCALEs Project. Please read her report below.

Read below what the NZAFT Listserve members are writing about the Draft Matrix

The first document is a roll of entries started on Dec 5th 2008 when the Draft Matrix was initially published.

The second document, started June 16th 2009, is an other roll of entries. It consists of the feedback on the Matrix, the Draft L 1 Standards, and on the conditions of Assessment, published by subscribers on the NZAFT Listserve.